


Not Like Them

by sambyosis



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kind of feelsy, M/M, The angst is barely there, just barely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 20:16:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10601433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sambyosis/pseuds/sambyosis
Summary: Keith dwells on a passing comment during a battle, and Shiro helps him sort through it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after they make it back to the ship post episode 3 in season 2.

Keith was on the training deck, fighting th gladiator over and over again, barely stopping to take a break in between matches. He couldn’t get Zarkon’s words out of his head. 

_ You fight like a Galra soldier… _

When he thought back on his confrontation with the emperor, his frown deepened and his eyes grew darker. He wasn’t like them. There was no way. Yes, he would die for anyone on team Voltron (even Lance) and he’d protect them at all costs, but it wasn’t like he swore to because he was a paladin and had to do so to become one. He’d do so because they were his friends. They were the closest thing to family he had, and he wasn’t going to give them up for anything. But the fact that patches of skin on his hands resembled the exact shade of purple of a Galran before being healed by the quintessence made his stomach sink. What if Zarkon was right? What if he  _ was  _ Galra?

While lost in his thoughts, he didn’t pay attention to the gladiator rushing him, and fell on his back from the blow it gave him. A dull pain settled in his chest, and he was breathing heavily when he choked out “End training sequence”. His chest rose and fell slowly as he tried to catch his breath and he stared at the ceiling above him. His bayard was cast out the the side, too far away for him to reach. After a moment of lying there, Keith heard careful footsteps approaching him. He maneuvered his head to see who they belonged to. His dark eyes trained from the person’s feet up, and knew it was Shiro before his eyes reached the other paladin’s face. 

The black paladin smiled good-naturedly, though his eyes showed concern, and extended a hand to Keith, “Are you alright?”

Keith nodded and took Shiro’s hand, grunting as he stood up. “I’m fine. Just got lost in thought.”

"Must have been an interesting thought if it broke your focus on training,” Shiro replied. “What’s on your mind?”

Keith shrugged and debated on whether or not to tell Shiro about what Zarkon had said. The paladin had already been through enough with the Galra, he didn’t want to risk Shiro hating him because he might be one of  _ them _ . He just shook his head and waved his hand, dismissing Shiro’s question.

“It was just something stupid. Don’t worry about it.”

Shiro’s mouth pressed into a thin line and his eyes still holding concern from earlier. “It doesn’t seem like something stupid.”

“It’s nothing, Shiro, really,” Keith said.

“If it’s nothing, you can tell me,” Shiro replied. “You can talk to me. I know I’m a little broken, but --”

" _You’re not broken,_ ” Keith interrupted, his tone sharp. 

Shiro looked taken aback, his eyes slightly wide. He cleared his throat, “But...I’m always here for you, Keith.”

Keith felt a pang of guilt hit him. He  _ should  _ be able to depend on Shiro. They had been friends for a pretty decent amount of time after all, but he just couldn’t find the right words. How do you tell someone that you might be part alien when said person was kidnapped and tortured by the alien race you might be a part of? He didn’t want to trigger any unpleasantness for Shiro, but Keith knew that it would come back to him eventually.

"It's just something Zarkon said during our fight. It's getting to me. He told me that I fight like a Galra,” Keith said quietly. “I can't get it out of my head because they've done  _ horrible _ things. I don't want to be like them.” He didn't bother to mention the incident with the druid and the quintessence. Keith didn't want to possibly have Shiro agree with the fact that he could be Galra.

Shiro looked lost in thought. Keith felt his chest tighten and his stomach drop, not wanting his fears to be confirmed. It was another couple of ticks before Shiro spoke.

“It shouldn't matter what he said,” Shiro stated, looking Keith in the eyes, a small smile on his face. “You’re not like them. You're you. You may carry a similarity or two, but that doesn't mean you're out causing others unnecessary pain and sorrow. It's not like you have a piece of them inside you that's going to make you be exactly like them.” Keith noticed that Shiro looked at his right hand with an obvious pain in his eyes. “You're a determined fighter, and that's a good, but also bad, quality to have. You protected us, Keith. That shows a lot more of your character than how you fight. Even if you were Galra, that wouldn't change anything. You'd be the same person we know and care about.”

Keith felt tears pricking at his eyes, and he suddenly hugged Shiro tightly. Shiro seemed startled at first, but he hugged Keith back and set his chin on the red paladin’s head. 

"You're not like them either," Keith murmured. 

Shiro smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of Keith's head, “Thank you…”

                 Both paladins stayed in the same place for a little while longer, completely at peace in each other's arms.


End file.
